St. Landry democrat., 1887-11-26
NICHOLAS.
Judge E. D. White at Rayville.
The Questions Involved in the Pres
ent Canvass.
The Third Term-The Public Schools
The Finances-The LeVees-
The Candidates.
A Clear and Lucid Presentation Of
the Issues Before the People.

! inc 1SSttS bN1ui - aahS >oI-N
At the Nichols meeting held at Rayville,
Richland parish Oh Nov. Il, Judge +. ID.
| White upon being introduced by Colonel A.
B. Cooper, spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen and Fellow -citizons
| -Iu discussing the questions which this
canvass involves propose In what nave
| to say to he as fair and candid as possibly
can be. The issues which we Will cons4uer
viii be- in their consequence,
FRUITFUL IN GOOD OR EVIL
| To the future of this state, and | feel there
| fore in a matter of s;ch grave Importance
| that must be careful to say nothing / DO
not think to be fully borne out by reason
| aud authority.
| The Third Term
| The first question which presents itself to
us IL the expediency amt propriety OF the
denomination Of Governor mCEnery.
Re has now served as chief executive OF
the state for period of seven years, and
| Will II he be renomlnated aud elected at
| the end Of his term have served contlhuoua!y
| for period of nearly eleven and nair
| years. Under this condition OF affairs IL
| seems to me as Irresistible reason why
he should not be renolnln2ted, tnd5 10 do SO
would violate the Democratic doctrine
which has been crYstalllztd into an apnorlsm
under the words "OppOsitIUn to the third
term" The reasons which underile this
rule are self.evident. They pre-suppoSe that
the chief executive power If enjoyed for a
long time gradually leads to the creation OF
BAND OF OFFICE-HoLDERS
holding the governors commission, who
grow from their long tenure to look upon
atm as the fountain and source from which
their Offices are derived and thereby To forget
that they are public servants. \ further
reason is the effect this long tenure has upon
the MIND OF the chief executive himself.
Evarv n a 4
extended beyond reasonable and normal
limit creates by law which IS common 10
mankind the impression on MS part That No
and not the people are The source Of power,
and thus there is created IN the BODY polite
bond OF organized Otlictallsm which seeks
| to control aud pervert the VIII OF the people
and thereby perpetuate Its power.
Let us see what sanction the principle has
received in the political history OF his state.
the first constitution OF this state. that Of
1912, contained provision forbidding third
term. The second consututloo, that or 1Si5.
contained the same provision, and Jlat Of
1852 contained similar provision. Even the
radical constitution adopted in 1868 han in II
a like Inhibition. Under these constitutions
and under the present one
THIS STATE HAS HAD TWENTY-OSE GOV
EESORS,
not single one of whom has enjoyed the ex-
ecuriVe office for even two consecutive
terms. Under this historical statement 1t
seems to be Irresistible to conclude that the
minds OF the founders and developers of our
political system have at all times been Op-
posed To the TOO long enjoyment by Que per
son or the CHIEF executive power IN other
WORDS, have been opposed 10 the thlrt term.
The uuanlmity Of this rule OF conduct Is all
the more to be noted from the tacc that the
conventions which adopted the various cor
situations were dominated ''y different DO
lltlcal parties.
Thus, when the constitution Of 1915 was
adopted the WING party was in power In the
convention, and Yet it adhered To the rule.
When the constitution of 1852 Was adopted
the Democratic party was III power. ana TIE
same rule las followed
The history of the constitutions OF the
other states Of the union is equally slSnifi-
cant. There are now ten states where inhl-
Billions against the third term are to be
found in the fundamental law, and at yarI-
GUS times since the formation Of the state
governments
TWENTY SEVEN STATES
have had provisions i'll their constitutions
forbldding third term.
Under the federal constitution the rule has
been equally concurrent. Although no pro-
vision is written In t1at constitution for
bidding third term, yet at an early day in
the history OF our country opposition TO ils
existence took being in the shape of a
settled though uuwrltten rule OF political
conduct.
No president OF the United States has ever
occupied the Office for a third term. When
the Republican party was in the very
strength of its power an attempt was made
TO renomlnate General Grant for u third
term. IL was ably and vigorously led, but it
was defeated. The principle of opposition
to the third term was so deeply grounded IN
the hearts OF the people that. despite the
fact that body OF office holders supported
General Grant, despite the fact that his exec
utlve patronage was enormous, and despite
the fact OF his great military renown and the
hold which 1t gave him on the minds OF the
yIAf IN Fhrv th,,IB ,,l,lS
party refused to accede to the demand. In
other words, refused to Violate the funda-
mental rule OF the American sy stem.
Reason and Authority by Which it is At
tempted to Overcome the Objec-
tions to the Third Term.
Now let us see by what argument and
authority il Is attempted to answer this
reasoning. In the first place, it is SAID
Governor McEnery has not had second
term, as he WAS elected firstly only as
lieutenant governor aud succeeded to the
chief executive office on the death OF Gov
ernor Witt. hence this term Is not to be
counted in considering the third term ques-
ton.
The answer is futile. The reason upon which
the opposition to the third term Is founded
is the Improperly Of the too long enjoyment
OF the chief executive power By one person.
It is not true TO say that Governor Nc
Emery was not elected for the first time to De
governor. He was elected as lieutenant gov
ernOr, IL fs true, but as lieutenant governor
TO become governor in Case OF u vacancy Ill
the Office OF governor. The mere fact that
the time when he was 10 assume the guber-
Material office was dependent on con-
tingenCy did not any the less make him
elected governor. He was elected lieutenant
governor and was to become governor on
given event.
These questions have practically been
passed upon not only in the federal gov
eminent but IN the political contests Of other
states. Take
THE CASE OLE THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
Governor Stone of that state when Ames,
the carpet-bag governor, left the state sue
ceeded to the goVernorship, | believe as
president of the senate. Having served the
term to which he thus succeeded he was
elected for second term. His administra-
ton was vigorous, wise and in all respects
beneficial. When his second term expired it
was sought to renominase him for a third
term. The third term objection to this re-
d Omtn atlon was advanced and 1t was met as
1t Is sought to be met here by the conten-
ton which have stated, but he was defeat
ed. In conversation with lawyer of
ability from the state OF Mississippi the
other day, he said that the moment lhe
third term objection reached the minds Of
the people Of the state OF Mississippi it was
obvious that Governor Stone could not be re-
nominated. as the people OF that state had
too much reverence for Democratic princi-
pies and traditions to violate them even for
the sake of distinguished gentleman who
had served them faithfully and ably. Will it
be said that the people OF this state have
less regard for their freedom and the princi-
pies of their government than have the
good people Of our sister state of Missis-
sippif
1t is further urged that this opposition to
the third term is erroneous inasmuch as it is
an attempt to control the with of the people.
1t is said that tits an insult to the people, as
it intimates the possibility OF band of Of
being able to control them.
II is worthy of remark that these argu-
ments which are now advanced to support
the third term in this state were equally ad-
vanced to support the denomination for
THIRD TERM OF GENERAL GRANT.
Turning back to the speeches and publIca.
rtons of those who supported General Grant
for third term, we find in substance the